A historic day for energy / En historisk dag för energi

Last Monday President Obama noted the importance of energy. We are justified in asserting that this was a historic day: “No single issue is as fundamental to our future as energy”, he said and continued, “It is time for this moment of peril to be turned into one of progress.”

It is now 15 years since I organized a first workshop to emphasize energy’s importance for our society. In 1998 I drove a personal campaign seeking election to parliament with the energy question foremost on the agenda. Unfortunately, the campaign attracted few voters, or maybe that was lucky because I have since had the chance to pursue research on energy resources.

I usually say to the students that study Energy Systems at Uppsala University that we are the new heroes. To work with and research in energy is the future’s most important question. President Obama’s words were sweet music for my ears!

President Obama markerade i måndags energins betydelse och med rätta kan man påstå att det var en historisk dag: “No single issue is as fundamental to our future as energy”, och han fortsatte “It is time for this moment of peril to be turned into one of progress.”

You are right! We that have good competence in energy technology will not risk to face unemployment, at least not in the coming decades… Great that Obama finally is in control after Bush. It gives us all hope for the future, even if his hope of having US self power with energy is by far too optimistic, at least within the short term future.